1991 Jaguar XJR-15

Jaguar's founding chairman, Sir William Lyons, believed that sales success could be achieved through great styling and success in international racing. His C-Type Jaguars, developed from the road-going XK120, were victorious at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 and 1953. Under pressure to build a new car to continue this record of success, Jaguar introduced the D-Type. The C-Type had used a strong triangulated tubular chassis construction, while the D-TYpe was built around an all-new, riveted aluminum-magnesium alloy monocoque designed by Jaguar's chief designer Malcolm Sayer. Employing techniques learned while in the aviation industry, Sayer was one of the earliest designers to apply the principles of aerodynamics to cars. Compared to the outgoing C-Type, the D-Type was smaller, five inches shorter, and more svelt. Power was sourced from the familiar seven main bearings, 3.4-liter Jaguar engine, which was now canted eight degrees from vertical to clear the low bonnet line.

The potent engine, advanced mechanical components, sophisticated chassis, and slippery coachwork allowed the D-Type to achieve three consecutive victories - from 1955 to 1957 - at La Sarthe. Having won no fewer than five times at Le Mans during the 1950s, the Coventry firm would retire from this ultimate level of competition and would not return to La Sarthe in a Works capacity for three decades.

While absent from Le Mans, Jaguar focused on its road-going vehicles and improving financial stability.

When John Egan became the company's chairman in 1980, he set his sights on returning to the forefront of motorsport, selecting Tom Walkinshaw Racing (TWR) to help with this monumental task. Prior to formalizing their partnership in the form of JaguarSport(incorporated in 1986), TWR campaigned the XJS in the European Touring Car Championship during the early-to-mid 1980s. This success led to the Group C Jaguar/TWR XJR-9 that took the checkered flag at both Le Mans and Daytona in 1988 and 1990.

The Jaguar/TWR XJR-9

TWR, based in the United Kingdom, and Bob Tullis' Group 44 team, based in Virginia, in the United States., were two of Jaguar's most successful privateers during the early 1980s. Group 44 would focus on the IMSA GTP Championship, while TWR concentrated on Group C.

Group 44's Fabcar-designed, mid-engined XJR-5 ready in late 1982 and enjoyed considerable success, including a victory at Road Atlanta. Jaguar contested Le Mans in 1984 and 1985 with the XJR-5, securing a class victory in its second attempt. This success prompted the factory to return to the World Championship as a full Works team that was supported by TWR.

TWR's first full season in Group C was in 1986, and they achieved an overall victory in May at the 1000 KM of Silverstone, fueling their confidence for a successful race at Le Mans the following month. Unfortunately, none of the three cars entered would finish.

Further development over the off-season by TWR resulted in the new XJR-8. In the United States, the Group 44 team's latest IMSA GTP race car was designated the XJR-7. The XJR-8 gave Jaguar and TWR the success it was seeking, dominating the 1987 World Championship and claiming eight outright victories over ten events. For Le Mans, the team entered three cars, but once again, the overall victory remained elusive, with Porsche claiming its fifth consecutive overall victory.

For the 1988 season, Jaguar decided to run a Works team in IMSA and commissioned the new XJR-9. For the second season in a row, Jaguar dominated the World Championship, claiming an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Daytona on their first attempt. For Le Mans, Jaguar entered five cars with the XJR-9 driven by Johnny Dumfries, Jan Lammers, and Andy Wallace claiming the overall victory. For the remainder of the season, Jaguar claimed two more victories at 24-hour endurance events, and, ultimately, the Group C World Championship.

For the past three seasons, the same basic chassis design had been used. For the 1989 season, TWR designed two brand-new turbocharged V-6, the XJR-10 and XJR-11 for the IMSA and Group C Championships, respectively. An updated version of the XJR-9, dubbed the XJR-12, was used solely for long-distance events at Daytona and Sebring. Neither the XJR-10 or XJR-11 achieved the success of the XJR-9.

Beyond the Track

The Jaguar XJR-9 achieved success at the highest levels of competition and was a spiritual descendent of the C- and D-Type of the 1950s. Walkinshaw, recognizing the potential of extending the usefulness of the XJR-9 beyond the track, worked on creating a road-going supercar. In November 1990, JaguarSport officially introduced the ultra-exclsuive, performance-focused XJR-15 (initially designated the R-9R). The first prototype was driven by Mr. Walkinshaw when he returned from France in July 1990. The official launch was early in 1991 at Silverstone. Production was limited to 50 units (53 chassis were eventually built) with production continuing through 1992.

Design and Development

Using the same technology and design philosophy of the XJR-9, the XJR-15 holds the distinction of being the first road-going car made entirely from carbon-fiber. The body was designed by Peter Stevens and power was sourced from a 6.0-liter V12 engine.

As a road-going supercar, the XJR-15 was designed to comply with British construction and use regulations and could be registered by the owner for road-use in the UK. Due to its limited production run, the XJR-15 was never type-approved. Compared to the XJR-9, the cockpit of the XJR-15 was widened and the roof was raised. The engine was a stressed member for the rear-frame and the bottom of the car was flat, similar to Group C configuration. Stopping power was courtesy of a race-spec set of four-piston AP Racing calipers mated to disc brakes residing within center-lock, light alloy OZ wheels.

The naturally aspirated 24-valve Jaguar V12 engine displaced 5,993cc (6.0 liters), had an advanced electronically managed fuel injection system, an advanced 'fly by wire' throttle, and developed 450 horsepower at 6,250 RPM and 569 Nm (420 lb-ft) at 4,500 RPM. The block and heads were built from aluminum alloy, the pistons were forged alloy, and the crankshaft was nitrided forged EN40B steel with Holset harmonic damper. It used a Zytek fuel injection system and electronic engine management, single overhead camshafts per bank of cylinders, two valves per cylinder, seven main bearings, Cosworth pistons, and cast-iron 'wet' cylinder liners. The standard transmission was a TWR unsynchronised six-speed manual transmission, with a five-speed, synchromesh unit being optional.

The suspension was fully independent with non-adjustable Bilstein shock absorbers all round. At the front were wishbones and working push-rods to spring damper units positioned horizontally across the center of the car. In the back was a similar setup to the XJR-9 with vertical coil-springs mounted in units with uprights within the rear wheels.

The wheelbase measured 107 inches, an overall length of 189 inches, a width of 74.8 inches, and a height of 43.3 inches. The bodywork used carbon fiber and Kevlar. The suspension was softer than its racing counterpart and the overall stance was slightly higher as it took full advantage of under-body aerodyanmics.

The exclusivity of the XJR-15 was guaranteed b its price of nearly one million US dollars when new. Of the reported 53 examples built, twenty-seven would leave the factory in 'road' specification, while the others followed directly in the lineage of the preceding XJR race cars and were built especially for the track.

The Jaguar XJR-15 LM

When production of the XJR-15 ended, TWR in collaboration with a British automotive firm XK Engineering developed a limited run of more powerful variants. Dubbed the XJR-15 LM, they were built for a Japanese customer. Power was from a 7.0-liter V12 engine shared with the XJR-9 and developed 700 horsepower. Modifications to the body work included a larger rear wing, a modified engine cover with additional vents, an air intake situated on the roof to aid in cooling the larger engine, and an additional front splitter with air vents in the middle.

It is believed that as many as five examples were produced including three in dark green, one in white, and one in blue.

The 1991 Jaguar Sport Intercontinental Challenge

Sixteen cars built in racing specifications were entered in the Jaguar Intercontinental Challenge, which supported three Formula 1 races in Monaco, Silverstone and Spa-Francorchamps in 1991. Often, the XJR-15s were piloted by professional racing drivers including Derek Warwick, David Brabham, Juan Manuel Fangio II, and Tiff Needell. The winner of the third and final race, Armin Hahne, was awarded a cash prize of US$1 million.

Each of the three races allowed a maximum of sixteen cars. At the first event, Monaco, Armin Hahne, Jim Richards, David Brabham and Davy Jones qualified in the top positions, followed by Bob Wollek, Tiff Needell, John Nielsen, Ian Flux and Juan Manuel Fangio II.

The rolling start of each race was administered by Tom Walkinshaw. After sixteen laps of intense racing, Brabham crossed the finish line seven-tenths of a second ahead of Warwick. Some of the cars received minor damage during the race, but overall, no major incidents occurred.

At the second event, Silverstone, Warwick started from pole with Brabham, Cor Euser, Ian Flux, and Wollek in fifth. Fangio, David Leslie, Hahne, Kenny Acheson and Needell also qualified in the top ten. Following several accidents throughout the field, with eleven of the sixteen entries sustaining some kind of damage, the race was won by Fangio.

The final event was at Spa with the $1 million (USD) purse for the winner. To add even more excitement, Jaguar Sport ran the race for an undisclosed number of laps, telling drivers that the chequered flag would fall after at least six laps. Euser qualified on pole position followed by Brabham, Warwick, Hahne, Percy, Will Hoy, Wollek, Leslie, Thierry Tassin and Flux. On lap eleven, when the chequered flag fell, it was Hahne in the lead.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 25

The Jaguar XJR-15 was a special project of the highly successful Tom Walkinshaw Racing Team and only 28 road-going examples were manufactured. Built to celebrate Jaguar's victories at Daytona 1987, Le Mans 1988, and the Group C World Championship, the XJR-15 has few peers in its focus as a street-legal race car. The carbon fiber chassis is shared with the Le Mans-winning Jaguar XJR-9 Group C prototype, along with a version of the same race-bred, naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V12. The carbon fiber bodywork was penned by Peter Stevens, who also designed the McLaren F1.

The price, around $1,000,000 when new, made the XJR-15 one of the most exclusive supercars of the era. This example, chassis 25, is one of the few examples finished in yellow. Originally sold in Japan, this XJR-15 was displayed at a Jaguar showroom and then placed in a private collection until recently, when it was imported to the United States.

Coupe
Chassis number: 018

With a chassis based on the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 (designed by Tony Southgate), powered by a naturally aspirated 6-liter 24-valve Jaguar V12 engine, and wearing coupe coachwork designed by Peter Stevens, The XJR-15 was essentially a Le Mans racers built for the street. It used the same technology and expertise of the Le Mans-winning XJR-9 and XJR-12, but in a more useable, road-going, track-ready car. Fifty examples were scheduled for production, and it is believed that 53 chassis were eventually made.

Like the XJR-9, the XJR-15 received a central monocoque chassis tub with slightly different dimensions and designed by Jim Router and Dave Fullerton. The suspension was the same as the XJR-9, with fabricated wishbones and horizontal pushrod-spring dampers at the front and coil springs at the rear. Stopping power was courtesy of four-piston AP Racing calipers and disc brakes housed completely within the wheels. The coachwork was a unique combination of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite.

The all-aluminum, dry-sump V-12 Group C-specification engine displaced 5,993 cc (6.0 L) and produced 450 horsepower. It had an advanced electronically managed fuel injection system and a 'fly by wire' throttle system and was paired with a TWR unsynchronised six-speed, race-tuned LeMans manual transmission. An optional five-speed synchromesh transmission was also available.

This particular example is chassis number 018 and one of 27 constructed in road-going specification. It has a five-speed transaxle, and its six-spoke, 17-inch O.Z. Racing alloy wheels are wrapped with Pirelli P-Zero tires.

This Jaguar is known as the 'Japan Study Car,' which was originally used for aerodynamic studies and testing of hybrid energy recovery systems by a former Nismo Racing engineer.

In 2015, this Jaguar was restored to its original specification by Bespoke Motors in Australia and accruing less than 1,000 miles since the work was completed. The interior houses gray leather racing seats with hardwired headsets, a Nardi racing steering wheel, and rocker-panel-mounted shifter. The exterior is done in factory-correct dark blue.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 042

This Jaguar XJR-15 was delivered new to its original owner in July of 1991. It was purchased from TWR-JaguarSport Limited via the UK-based specialty auto exporter Wheels Abroad on January 14, 1991, for the sum of £620,000. Completed in June, it was subsequently sent from the U.K. to Asia via the NYK-operated container ship Kitano. It remained in Asia on static display within the collection of its original owner until being shipped to the United States in late 2022. Currently, the car has 153 miles on its odometer and it has not been started, driven, or seen in public since it left the United Kingdom in 1991. It is highly original and wears its original Mauritius Blue Metallic exterior over Savile Grey upholstery. It has its original three-piece OZ racing wheels and a five-speed synchromesh transaxle. New tires were also installed in January 2023.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 044

Production of the Jaguar XKR-15 in road-going specification was exclusive, with just 27 examples built. It used a modified XJR-9 chassis from the company's racing program, with the carbon-monocoque being widened and the roof raised slightly. Mounted mid-ship was a 6.0-liter twelve-cylinder engine offering 450 horsepower and paired with a five-speed manual transmission (the engine was a detuned version of the 1998 Le Mans winner's V12). With the engine mounted directly behind the cockpit, a pair of radio headsets was required for the driver and passenger to communicate while traveling.

This particular example is chassis number 044 and it has been driven 722 miles since new. It was originally exported to Germany in 1991; in 2008, it returned back home to the United Kingdom with just 250 miles on the odometer. It was soon sent to Don Law Racing, who embarked on a six-year development program that sought to not only recondition but also tastefully improve upon what was truly a Le Mans car for the road. The work included the exterior being refinished in a shade similar to the factory color of Le Mans Blue. After the work was completed, the car was shown at various European concours including the City of London Concours in 2017 before being acquired by a collector in Southern California. With 611 miles on the odometer, the car was sent to J.D. Classics for a complete inspection service which involved removing the bodywork and engine to fully analyze vehicle systems.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe
Chassis number: 008

Jaguar Sport produced 50 examples of the XJR-15 with 27 of those in road-going specification and the others built especially for the track. This particular example was built for road use and came equipped with a five-speed transaxle rather than the race-tuned, six-speed Le Mans gearboxes. It is a low-mileage example that has 78 miles on its odometer.

This Jaguar XJR-15 was sold new in Japan to Miura Shoji and would remain in meticulously preserved condition until being acquired by an American collector in 2018. It was imported to the United States in December 2018 and was sent to Fast Cars Limited of Redondo Beach, California, for a full fluid change and general mechanical checkup.

The current owner purchased the vehicle in 2022 and, in July 2023, had another complete fluid change by Fast Cars Limited.

This Jaguar has a clear engine cover, three-piece OZ racing wheels, leather racing seats, hardwired headsets, and a Nardi racing steering wheel.

by Dan Vaughan

After four years of trying with previous evolutions, Jaguar was successful at capturing victory with the JXR-9 at the 1988 edition of the 24 Hours of LeMans. Another Jaguar finished fourth, with Porsche filling the rest of the top ten places with their mighty 962C. In recognition of this effort, Jaguar Sport and TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing) developed a road-going version. The new road racer was derived from the XJR-9 and XJR-12 race cars and was called the XJR-15.

This was not Jaguar's only supercar being developed during this era. They were also working on the XJ220, which was produced from 1992 through 1994 with 282 examples built. Also developed with TWR, the XJ220 was powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine developing 542 horsepower. To help distinguish the XJ220 from the XJR-15, Jaguar Sport created a one-make racing series for the XJR-15 in 1991. Open to all owners of the XJR-15, races were run as a support for Formula 1 races, and the series was known as the Jaguar Sport International Challenge.

The carbon-fiber composite monocoque and running gear were nearly identical to the XJR-9's. Power was from a 6-liter V12 engine that offered approximately 450 horsepower. It was mated to a TWR six-speed gearbox that had been developed for LeMans racing but never used. A five-speed, all-synchromesh gearbox was optional. The bodywork and chassis were composed of carbon fibre and Kevlar composites. Although it was a road-going car, it was built to comply with 1990 Group C regulations, with a length of 480 cm, a width of 190cm, and a height of 110 cm. The bottom of the car was completely flat, in keeping with Group C practice.

The suspension was fully independent, with non-adjustable Bilstein shock absorbers on all four corners. The front setup was comprised of wide-based wishbones, working push-rods to spring damper units mounted horizontally across the center of the car. In the back were vertical coil springs mounted in units with uprights within the rear wheels.

The idea had been conceived by Tom Walkinshaw and Peter Stevens had been enlisted to develop the car. Originally designated the R-9R, it was meant to be an alternative to the XJ220. Built as a road-going car, it complied with British construction and use regulations and could be registered by the owner for road use in the United Kingdom. With such a limited production run, the car was never type-approved.

The performance was exceptional with zero-to-sixty mph taking 3.9 seconds and top speed achieved at 191 mph.

Jaguar planned on producing 50 examples with a price of $1 million. This would possibly satisfy homologation requirements for a proposed GT class. Customers who intended on racing the cars were retained by Jaguar, prepared by Jaguar Sport, and brought to the races for the customers.

Approximately 50 examples were built, but it is not known if that 50 figure was achieved. A further five examples were built for the Japanese market and fitted with seven-liter engines.

The XJR-15 raced at Monaco where Derek Warwick finished in first position, followed by David Brabham and then Davy Jones. Juan Manuel Fangio II came in fourth. At Silverstone, Juan Manuel Fangio II was in first, followed by Bob Wollek and Ian flux. At Spa Francorchamps, Armin Hahne came in first, then Cor Euser, followed by Win Percy. Armin Hahne would finish the season with the $1 million championship trophy.

In a similar fashion to the Jaguar XJ220, the JXR-15 failed to be a commercial success.

by Dan Vaughan

From 1984 through 1993, Jaguar-backed teams in both the World Sportscar Championship Group C and the IMSA Camel GTP competition with their Jaguar XJR Sportscar. The project's history dates back to the early 1980s with Bob Tullius. He formed the Group 44 racing team in the early 1960s with partner Brian Feurstenau and campaigned his Jaguar E-Types for the following two decades. He also played a part with the Howmet gas turbine-engined LeMans car of 1968, which he drove in the 24-Hour race.

The Jaguar XJR-5 was designed primarily for competition in the IMSA's GTP class. Tullius was able to persuade Mike Dale of Jaguar Cars Inc. in New Jersey to fund this project. Designer Lee Dykstra was tasked with creating a car that could accept a Jaguar V12 racing engine. Group 44's previous four cars were the XJR 1 through 4. This new prototype racer was called the Jaguar XJR-5.

Dykstra used the twelve-cylinder engine as a stressed member of the chassis and bolted it directly to the aluminum monocoque. Four stiffening struts were bolted to the racer's firewall and the rear suspension completed the ensemble. The monocoque chassis had honeycomb floor sections and tubular-reinforced steel bulkheads. Underneath the car was reserved for aerodynamics, of which Dykstra was an expert at designing and incorporating. Venturi tunnels extended from the flat-bottomed cockpit to the rear and exited beneath the full-width rear wing. The body was constructed of carbon fiber and Kevlar composite.

Aerodynamics and ground effects had gained in popularity. Lotus was one of the first to prove the benefits of ground effects and reducing the air pressure under the car. Low air pressure was used to keep the car planted firmly on the track. The resulting design of the JXR-5 was put through tremendous testing in the Williams wind tunnel. After fine-tuning the design, two cars were produced. The first was a car that was intended for high speeds track and had low drag and low downforce. The second car had high downforce and aimed at slower tracks. Testing at Summit Point began as early as June of 1982. A few months later, the car made its racing debut at Road America and was driven by Bob Tullius and Bill Adams. Two Porsche 935's secured the first two positions, but the XJR-5 manage to crack the top three and a class win the GTP class. The following races were not as fruitful for the car. Its first race victory came the following year, at the Road Atlanta 500km race. The car continued to compete but was never a major contender for the championship.

Dykstra continued the development of the XJR Sport Cars design. By 1985, a completely new car had been drawn. The 5.3-liter engine had grown in 1984 to a full six-liters and the twelve-cylinder engine was now using Lucas/Micos engine management systems.

Derek Bell tested one of the Group 44 team's XJR-5 cars at Silverstone in 1983. Bell was pleased with the car and excited about its potential. This report stimulated Jaguar to back the Group 44's effort in competing at the LeMans 24 Hour endurance race. It had been twenty-two years since Jaguar competed at LeMans. Lancia and Porsche were too fast; the two Jaguar XJR 5s ran for fourteen hours before retiring from the race. They had been sitting in sixth and seventh positions. The cars would return to LeMans, but a 13th overall and a win the GTP Category would be their best showing. 1985 would be Tullius's final racing appearance at LeMans.

Factory funding later switched to Tom Walkinshaw's TWR cars. The XJR-6 shared a similar engine with the XJR-5, but little else. Tony Southgate had been tasked with creating the design. He used a carbon fibre monocoque and plenty of ground effect tunnels and aerodynamics. TWR worked closely with Zytek to form a new fuel injection system for the V12 engine and allowed them to extract as much horsepower as possible while retaining as much fuel economy as possible. Group C had fuel restrictions that all teams had to abide by. The result of the work on the engine was a 6.5-liter unit in a naturally aspirated form that was capable of producing 650 horsepower.

Three cars were constructed in 1985 and made their racing debut the following year. Their immediate Achilles' heel was their weight, which caused the engine to work harder and decreased fuel efficiency. The teams had no recourse except to run the engines at lower horsepower to increase fuel efficiency and satisfy fuel economy regulations. Three more cars were created and scored a victory at the Silverstone 1000 km race. At LeMans, the cars failed to finish, and the glory days of Jaguar racing were still elusive.

Further development of the racers, with over sixty changes being made, resulting in the XJR-8. The car competing in Group 44's IMSA GTP Competition used the XJR-7 naming scheme.

The Jaguar XJR-8 was powered by a seven-liter engine that had a maximum horsepower rating of 720. This massive boost in power was what the team needed to win eight of the ten races in the World Championship. Development continued for suitable LeMans cars, which could take advantage of the high-speed track. The cars featured low drag bodies, but it would not be enough for Jaguar to clinch a victory at LeMans. One of the XJR-8 was poised for a positive finish, but a gearbox problem changed its fortunes. Porsche went on to win the race and their fifth straight LeMans victory.

The next iteration of the TWR racer was the XJR-9, which was intended for IMSA GTP competition in 1988. The Group 44 efforts had begun to fade near the close of 1987, and TWR stepped in to boost their efforts. The XJR-9 was a mildly revised version of its predecessors and continued the winning tradition, and dominated the World Championship.

For LeMans, Jaguar played the odds by fielding five cars. One of the cars ran eight hours before a transmission problem sidelined it prematurely. A second car had a head gasket fail in the eleventh hour and it joined the first car. The three remaining cars were able to complete the race. Jan Lammers drove one of the Jaguar entries and was nearly sidelined by transmission issues. The problem was spotted in time, resulting in Lammers not able to shift and had to remain in fourth gear. The car limped along, still with a two-minute lead over a Porsche, and secured Jaguar's long-sought goal to re-capture a victory at LeMans. Had Lammers shifted, his car would have suffered the same fate as the first car.

For 1989, TWR developed two new cars, the XJR-10 and the XJR-11 for IMSA and Group C competition. The XJR-10 was intended for the IMSA, while the XJR-11 was developed for Group C. These cars differed greatly from their predecessors, as they were powered by turbocharged V6 engines. Displacement size was 3- and 3.5-liters. Both cars did not enjoy the same success as the XJR-9, though some success was had. The V6 engine was not as durable as the twelve-cylinder unit, and later the six was replaced with the twelve. The resulting car was dubbed the XJR-12. At LeMans, the car scored another victory for Jaguar. Rules changes persuaded Jaguar to withdraw from the competition.

The TWR Jaguar team had been crowned World Champion in 1987 and had won LeMans victories in 1988 and 1990. They had enjoyed much success. When it came time to create their next generation of Group C cars, TWR decided to begin with a new design. The project was led by Ross Brawn, whose resume included over a decade in various roles in Formula 1. Brawn had never designed a sports car before, but his knowledge of Formula 1 rules and technology made him a suitable candidate for the job, as the new sports car was essentially an F1 car with a sports car body.

The new car was called the XJR-14, and work began near the close of 1989. The design called for a carbon-fiber tub, ground-effect tunnels, and a short and narrow front section. The suspension was comprised of transverse torsion bars that were mounted to the pedal box due to size constraints. The rear featured more conventional coil springs actuated by push-rods. Power was from Ford's Cosworth narrow V8 F1 engine.

The lightweight body had no doors. Instead, the driver accessed the cockpit through the removable side window. Inside, the driver configuration consisted of right-hand drive with a centrally mounted gear lever. Thus, the driver had to shift with their left hand.

A total of three XJR-14 Sports Cars were built and two were completed in time for the first event of the championship. The only other Group C car on the grid at Suzuka was the Peugeot 905. The Peugeot had its first race late in 1990, so it had time for refinement and testing. It also had a larger V10 engine. The Jaguar, however, had state-of-the-art aerodynamics and technology which helped it qualify on pole position for the Suzuka season opener race. That car had been driven by Derek Warwick and Martin Brundle. During the race, the Jaguar was on its way to win until a problem with the starter forced them to give up the lead.

The second round was at Monza where two Jaguar entries qualified and finished in first and second place. They repeated their victory at Silverstone and the Nürburgring.

For the LeMans race, Jaguar decided to use their V-12 engine which they felt was more reliable and better suited for the 24-hour event. The three cars entered finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

Midway through the season, the Peugeots had become more competitive, but not enough to clinch the World Team and Driver Championships away from Jaguar and driver Teo Fabi.

For the 1992 season, Jaguar withdrew from Group C competition due to cost, leaving Peugeot, Toyota, and Mazda to fill the grid. Instead, they turned their attention to the IMSA GTP Championship. For this series, the XJR-14s were repainted to 'Bud Light' colors and updated to comply with racing regulations. For the longer distance races, Jaguar used the XJR-12s. For round 2 of the Championship, Davy Jones qualified the XJR-14 on pole position but was unable to finish the race due to spinning out late in the race. In the fourth round, he qualified on pole and was able to win the race. At Lime Rock, a mechanical failure caused the car to crash. At Mid-Ohio, another victory was earned. The next seven races were won by Juan Manuel Fangio II and the Toyota-Eagle Mk III. Jones would end the season in second place in the Drivers' Championship while Jaguar was fourth in the Manufacturer's Championship.

During the Jaguar XJR-14's two racing seasons, it earned six victories.

by Dan Vaughan